Big 'Deadpool' debut annihilates 'Fifty Shades' record

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The R-rated "Deadpool" has taken the box office by storm, annihilating records with an eye-popping $135 million from its first three days in U.S. theaters, according to comScore estimates Sunday.

The Fox film, which stars Ryan Reynolds as the foul-mouthed superhero, easily trounced last year's record-setting $85.2 million February debut of the erotic drama "Fifty Shades of Grey." It also became the biggest R-rated opening ever, surpassing "The Matrix Reloaded," which opened to $91.8 million in May of 2003.

Analysts are predicting that the Tim Miller-directed film, which cost a mere $58 million to produce, could go on to make $150 million by the end of the holiday weekend. As recently as Thursday, "Deadpool" was expected to pull in only $80 million across the three days, but the Marvel comic, often a best-seller, proved its popular appeal and then some — and it didn't have to compromise with a PG-13 rating either.

IMAX screens accounted for an estimated $16.8 million of "Deadpool's" total. The film, notably, was not released in 3D.

"Deadpool" also had a massive showing internationally, bringing in an estimated $125 million from 62 territories for a $260 million global total.

The debut is also a bit of a superhero redemption story for Reynolds whose costly "Green Lantern" adaptation disappointed audiences and at the box office in 2011.